Culture Business in Saudi Arabia

1. What forces shaped modern Saudi Arabia culture?
How Similar or different are

these forces from those that shape the culture of Western nations?
Religion has been the single most important factor that has influenced the Saudi Arabian
culture. A combination of Islam and Bedouin traditions have influenced the Saudis,
specifically when the Saud clan and Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab made a pact that would seek to
purify the Islam and return it to its roots as expressed in the Koran. The roots of the Saudi
kingdom can be traced back to the nomadic Bedouin tribes making pacts with the al Saudi
tribes. Ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, an Islamic scholar, made agreements with the Saudi family. In
exchange for protection and agreeing to following Islamic teachings Wahhab backed the
family which allowed them to have power that has lasted into modern times. Today, the strict
Wahhab sect of Islam has a profound effect on the Saudi culture. For example, all shop and
restaurant that operate in Arab will close in five daily prayers times, it include all western
restaurant like MacDonalds. This happen because to give all employee or workers to do their
prayer, so it different with western nations because western shop did not close in all five daily
prayers time, the employee just provided or give a lunch break or others.
Besides that, Arabic culture stated that women in Saudi Arabia are not allowed drive car, sail
boat or fly the airplane. It is different from the western nation country, in western nation
country there are no legal or policy that stated woman cant drive a car. Women can dive car
to go everywhere. Besides that, the strict dress codes followed by women make it unlike any
other Western culture because the values and the social norms are based on religious
teachings that still continue.
2. What kinds of misunderstanding are likely to rise between and American Company
and a Saudi Enterprise, neither of which has experience dealing with the other?
Business is very different than in the States. Here, your credentials serve you a trustworthy
company or not. Most often, big name companies get the jobs because of their reputation and
not their product. In the eastern culture one must sit down through several meeting to gain
their trust. I read in an article online that, Saudis prefer national product before even sitting
down to discuss a foreigners product. They rather have local product before even
considering a foreigners product. They also dont like being rushed into business and will be
resentful if a company sends in their Jr. Executive rather than their Chief Executive. Also, an
American company may find it difficult to have a close doors meeting because the Saudis
maintain an open door policy which traces back to the Bedouin tradition. Lastly, the
Saudis a very family oriented in a way we are not. They will consult with their families if a
business opportunity is right for them and will even listen to their families more than an
expert whom they dont know as well as their own.
3. If you were in a position to advise a Western company that was considering doing
business in Saudi Arabia for the first time, what would your advice be?
I would advise the company to make sure that they understand the culture of Saudi Arabia as
it relates to Islam and Bedouin culture in particular. They need to done a research about Arab
Saudi Culture, its very important for people in Western to know about Arab Saudi work
culture. In Saudi Arabia, women are denied economic freedom and rights. This can help
prevent misunderstandings in terms of how women are treated, what kinds of work is
considered beneath many Saudi national and the traditions that are important to them, such
as prayer times. I would also caution them to be aware of the anti-American sentiment that
can be present in the Saudi culture since simple cultural mistakes may be amplified in that
atmosphere.
I also suggest that the western company need to know how the business operate in Arab
Saudi because it different with western company operate in United States. In Arab Saudi the
operation hour need to stop or closed in five prayers times to give employee to do their
prayers. It important to western company knows because its apart of legal that has in Arab.
In summary, most of the companies have now realized intellectual analysis on culture and
innovation is vitally crucial for the success of a business. According to openly directed
strategy, innovation and culture should be intertwined and managed properly and fairly in the
organization to reach the business goal. Most of the businesses fulfill the primary attitudes of
the staff instead of managing a number of valuation, norms, assumption and beliefs.

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1. What forces shaped modern Saudi Arabia culture?

How Similar or different are

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